Merry Holidays

Some Christians are boycotting stores that say “happy holidays” instead of “merry Christmas” to their customers. Others boycott stores that mention anything vaguely Christian. What’s a savvy retailer to do? Perhaps they could install monitors that could allow salespeople customize their greetings. Was that a yarmulke? Okay, it’s “happy Hannukah” for this one. Is that a “WWJD” bracelet? “Merry Christmas” all the way!

Personally, I prefer the simpler solution: the greeter should greet the customer with the holiday preferred by the greeter. If you’re a Christian, say “merry Christmas” to all, whether they’re wearing a burkha or a dancing shiva shawl. If you’re a Jew, it’s “happy Hannukah” to all.

If you’re an atheist like me, you can still play this game. I still celebrate Christmas, so I prefer to say “merry Christmas.” “Happy Holidays” just seems so noncommittal. Others might prefer a simple “hello.”

P.S. Blogging will be light this week. Remember, it’s Christmas. Have a merry one!

One Response to Merry Holidays

Although I use the word “Merry Christmas”, I never did mind “Happy Holidays” and thought it was a fair compromise. It’s not as if the Christian take on the season has anything to do with shopping anyway, so I’m not sure why some Christians would need validation from the commercial sector of society for this particular celebration.